


i belong with you, you belong with me (you're my sweetheart)

by pearlselegancies



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: (literally), Adoption, Angst, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Protective Judd Ryder, the ryders would be good parents fight me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:55:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29490936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearlselegancies/pseuds/pearlselegancies
Summary: "9-1-1, what's your emergency?" Grace asked as routine, her hands already poised on the keyboard, ready to help out. It's silent for a moment and Grace wondered if it's a prank call, or someone who is unable to talk."Hello?" She asked quietly, and then she heard it. The shallow breathing of someone, someone young she thinks, possibly a teenager. "We're trapped." The kid says, and her heart drops."Me, Elise and our dad. We're all trapped. Elise isn't moving and Dad... Dad isn't breathing."- or in which a rescue ends up with grace and judd creating the family they've always wanted.
Relationships: Grace Ryder & Judd Ryder & Original Child Character(s), Grace Ryder/Judd Ryder (9-1-1 Lone Star)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 58





	1. one

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" Grace asked as routine, her hands already poised on the keyboard, ready to help out. It's silent for a moment and Grace wondered if it's a prank call, or someone who is unable to talk.  
  
"Hello?" She asked quietly, and then she heard it. The shallow breathing of someone, someone young she thinks, possibly a teenager. "We're trapped." The kid says, and her heart drops.  
  
"Me, Elise and our dad. We're all trapped. Elise isn't moving and Dad... Dad isn't breathing."  
  
Shit. Grace thought. "Ok where are you sweetheart and what's your name?"  
  
"We're in our house, 148 Cherrywood Avenue. It's the green house, with the white trim. My sister picked it out when we moved here. And I'm Kayla. Kayla Gardener. I'm uh, I'm 14. My sister's 9." Grace nodded, logging the information into the call file. "Okay Kayla. My name is Grace and I'm gonna help you. What happened. How are you guys trapped?"  
  
The girl took a shaky breath before explaining. "We were just watching TV. And then we felt a shake like from the bottom of the house. Y'know like an earthquake or something. But Dad kept saying that Austin doesn't get earthquakes. He lived in California for most of his life so he knows what they feel like. And he said that's not what an earthquake feels like."  
  
She let out a soft sob, and God, Grace wanted to wrap her arms around her. "We fell through a few minutes later. There's this big piece of wood from the wall?" Kayla stopped speaking and Grace felt her heart drop for a moment until the teenager kept going.  
  
"It fell down and it had me and them pinned but I managed to roll out from underneath it and I reached the wall that isn't down. I'm sitting against it right now. I'm not bleeding or anything but I think I might have broken ribs." Grace nodded, typing up what Kayla was telling her. "Elise is only 9. She's so young. And Dad... He would anything for me. You gotta help them. Please!"  
  
Grace pinched the bridge of her nose before nodding again. She took a breath to calm herself down before speaking again. "Okay Kayla. I just sent a notice to the 126 about your situation. My husband is on that team. His name is Judd and he's gonna take good care of you okay sweetie?"  
  
Kayla whimpered quietly and Grace's heart broke even more. "No matter what, don't hang up the phone until the 126 gets there. Okay honey?"  
  
It was silent for a second before Kayla spoke. "Okay. I won't hang up."  
  
"Good. Can you see what's around you sweetheart? Tell me everything you can see." Kayla began describing the rubble that lay around her, as well as what she could see of her dad and little sister.  
  
Before long, Judd radioed in, letting Grace know that they were pulling up to the scene. "Hey Gracie. We've got this from here." Grace let out a small sigh of relief.  
  
"Kayla sweetheart?" The girl responded quietly. "Yeah?"  
  
"That's my husband Judd. Can you walk to him? If not, tell him where in the house y'all are so he can get to you." Kayla went silent for a moment before speaking. "Okay. Gah, it hurts too much to move Grace. I can't move. I can't."   
  
Grace relayed the information to the 126. Kayla spoke up again after a moment. "Mr Judd? We're in the living room. I'm on the west wall and my dad and sister are trapped under a part of the east wall. The rest of the walls are in tact."  
  
Judd hummed in response. "Okay kiddo. I'm coming to you." After a minute of silence on both sides, Grace heard Judd's voice loud and clear from Kayla's phone. "We got her. We got her. Gracie, I'm gonna hang up now." Grace sighed again. "Okay. Stay safe, the both of you."  
  
"We will." And with that, the call ended and all Grace could do, was hope. Hope that Kayla would be alright, and hope that her sister and her dad made it out.


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The house was filled with billowing smoke when Captain Strand gave them the go ahead to go inside and try to rescue the teen girl and her sister and father. The wall, like she had described, had fallen down on them, and Judd could see two bodies lying next to each other, underneath the rubble. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh tw for mentions of death specifically the death of a child and a character seeing the bodies + blood.

The house was filled with billowing smoke when Captain Strand gave them the go ahead to go inside and try to rescue the teen girl and her sister and father. The wall, like she had described, had fallen down on them, and Judd could see two bodies lying next to each other, underneath the rubble. 

Based on the way blood was pooling around the father’s head, Judd figured the man didn’t have much time left, and that it was highly unlikely he would survive. Mateo and Marjan rushed towards him. And T.K and Owen followed them to attend to the scarily still nine year old sister, and Judd made his way to Kayla, who was being assisted by Paul in standing up. 

“Kayla?” He said quietly as he reached them, helping transition some of the weight off of Paul’s shoulder. The girl nodded, her dark black curls bouncing as she limped forward, her arm clutched around her ribcage. “We’re gonna get you and your dad and sister out of here.” Kayla gave him a tight lipped pain filled smile and all Judd wanted to do, was to hold her close and tell her that everything would be okay. 

But he didn’t know that yet, and he had seen too many good paramedics and firefighters and even innocent victims get hurt or worse due to statements like that. So instead, he gave her a smile back, and helped Paul pull her out of the house. They made it to the front porch, and they lead her into the open ambulance, where Nancy and Tommy were waiting with gentle smiles, and bandages. 

Judd and Paul turned around as Kayla went in, so that she had some privacy, as Nancy and Tommy checked her for serious injuries, and made sure that there were no cuts in places not easily seen. 

They informed Kayla that she would need to go to the hospital to confirm it, but based on the bruising that she was showing on her ribs and back, it was likely that she had fractured ribs, and also a muscle sprain from falling and then rolling out from the crushed wall. 

Kayla’s eyes had gone wide at that, and it was obvious to anyone that the kid was scared - terrified out of her mind, and Judd stepped forward. “Don’t worry kiddo. We’ll take you to St. David's, I know a few nurses who will take good care of you. I promise.” Kayla nodded slowly, before turning to look at the house. 

What they saw next, broke Judd’s heart. Kayla’s dad and little sister were rolled out on stretchers, and they were both covered in thin white sheets from head to toe. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why, and immediately, Kayla began sobbing, her loud cries carrying through the large front yard. 

“No! No! Daddy! Elise! NO!” She tried to run to them, but Paul wrapped his arm around her gently, making sure to not hurt her ribs even more. "Kayla, you can't go to them. I'm sorry, I'm sorry but you can't." 

Kayla kept sobbing, her chest heaving as she fell into Paul's arms. Judd stepped closer, and he wrapped his arms around Kayla and Paul, meeting the African American's eyes over the teenage girl's head. 

Paul nodded, and Judd squeezed them tighter, using his body to shield Kayla from having to see the dead bodies, and to keep her from getting cold. After a moment, he stepped back as Kayla's tears subsided, and she hiccuped quietly. 

"Judd?" Captain Strand was standing near the wreckage, and Judd rushed over to him. "Is she okay? We're gonna find a foster placement for her." Judd shook his head. "Kid is broken-hearted. I think she needs some time Cap. Grace and I are training to be foster parents. Do you think you could pull a few strings so she can at least stay with people she's familiar with for the night?" 

Owen raised an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know y'all were training to be foster parents." Judd shrugged, looking back at Kayla, who had been wrapped up in a shock blanket. She looked up, and blinked at him owlishly. 

Judd wanted nothing more than to make sure this kid was safe. "It's a new thing." He said, hoping that Owen would get what he meant. Owen nodded. "I'll pull some strings. Go with Michelle in the ambo and call Grace when you get to St. David's." 

Judd nodded with a small smile before running back to the ambulance where Kayla and Michelle were waiting for him. Kayla immediately moved to hug him and Judd sucked a deep breath in before hugging her back and helping Michelle bring her into the ambulance. 

They got themselves situated, Kayla sitting on the stretcher, Judd sitting beside her on a small stool, and Michelle got into the front and began driving them to the hospital. 

"Mr. Judd?" Kayla spoke, sounding so much younger than she was. He looked at her. "Where am I going to stay now that... Now that my dad and my sister are gone?" Tears sprung in her eyes and Judd squeezed her hand in an attempt to comfort her. 

"If you want to, you'll stay with me and my wife. Grace. She was the 911 operator you spoke to, remember?" Kayla nodded, a small smile forming on her face. "Really?" 

"Yeah kiddo. really. Gracie and I have been training to become foster parents, and since you've already bonded with us, my captain is gonna pull some strings so you can stay with us." Kayla grinned even wider at that. She leaned forward and hugged Judd, and he smiled as he hugged her back, one hand on her back keeping her from bending over to far. 

"Thank you Mr. Judd." Judd smiled. "No problem kiddo." 


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Grace got to St. David’s, Judd had been pacing the hallway for nearly 40 minutes. She walked up to him, holding a slightly thicker flannel blanket since she figured they would be sleeping overnight. 

When Grace got to St. David’s, Judd had been pacing the hallway for nearly 40 minutes. She walked up to him, holding a slightly thicker flannel blanket since she figured they would be sleeping overnight. 

“Hey.” She said with a soft smile as she stepped forward. Judd turned to look at her, worry written on his face. “Hi Gracie. They won’t let us in until the paperwork goes through. The nurse said she’ll be okay though. Just needs to rest and ice her ribs and back muscles.” 

Grace nodded, sitting down on one of the hallway chairs, crossing her feet. Judd sat down next to her, looking more stressed than she had seen him in a while. A long while. 

She knew that Judd always got emotional when cases involving kids happened - it was the same with her. But God, this was hitting him even harder. 

After what felt like forever, a nurse with kinky teal blue hair that was thrown into a bun, with bangs that hung in front of her face came into the hallway. “Are you Grace and Judd Ryder?” They nodded and she smiled before continuing to speak.

“I’ve been informed by the doctor that you may come into the room and visit Kayla now that your paperwork has gone through. She’s very excited to see you both.” 

Grace nodded, and Judd smiled at the nurse, thanking her, before grabbing Grace’s hand and pulling her towards the room. Room 118, the sign beside the door read. Grace took a deep breath before they entered, noticing Kayla sitting on the bed, staring at her hands which were folded neatly in her lap. 

Kayla looked up as they entered. “Mr. Judd!” She looked over at Grace, biting down on her lower lip. Grace smiled softly. “Hi sweetie.” Kayla’s eyes widened. “Grace?” Grace nodded, walking over to her, and grabbing Kayla’s hand. 

“How do you feel?” Kayla shrugged before wincing. “Hurts like a -” Judd raised an eyebrow at her and she smiled at him sheepishly. “Hurts not like a female dog, but a lot.” Judd snickered and Grace rolled her eyes at him. 

She squeezed Kayla’s hand softly. “If the doctor agrees, you will be given the option to come home with us tonight. Is that okay with you? If you want to stay here for a while that’s fine with us.” 

Kayla smiled before nodding. “I’d-I’d like to. Thank you Mr. Judd and Mrs. Grace. Oh, um, what should I call you? Since I’m going to be staying with you?” 

Grace shared a look with Judd, not sure what to say. If Kayla wanted to call her Mrs. Grace, she was completely fine with that. 

Judd shrugged before responding. “If you want to call us mom and dad, you absolutely can. But we know that you just lost your daddy, and we don't want to push you into calling us your parents if it makes you uncomfortable in any way.” Kayla nodded. 

“I don't think I can call you dad Mr. Judd. But I can call you my parents? If that's okay?” Grace smiled, squeezing Kayla's hand. “Yeah sweetheart. That's okay.”

Kayla grinned, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She shifted her weight so that there was more room on the single bed. She patted the bed, and Judd raised an eyebrow at her. “Come sit down. Please?”

Judd listened, and Kayla rested her head on his shoulder. Grace sat down next to them. “I'm really glad that I have you guys to take care of me.”

Grace looked over at Judd, a small smile on her face. He smiled back before wrapping his arm around Kayla. “Us too kid. Us too.”


End file.
